I’m convinced most Christians don’t have a very good understanding of how God sees us. I’m not surprised about this because it’s really hard to for us to comprehend. God sees us so differently from the way we see ourselves and the way others see us, that there’s really no comparison. It’s like He and we are looking at two different people. And in a way that’s true because we can only see ourselves from our past experience, but He has chosen to see us now as we will be in the future when we’re with Him forever. So let’s set aside how we see ourselves for a moment and take a look at five things the Bible says about how God sees us.

It was the clearest message the Lord has given me in a long time. I was in bed and half asleep when it came to me. Fearful of forgetting it, I got up and made a bunch of random notes and then went back to bed. When they still made sense the next morning I decided it must have really been Him. Here’s the message I received.

The combination of the Rapture and the Battle of Ezekiel 38 will fill the world with anguish and uncertainty as Daniel’s 70th Week begins. Where did all those people go? How did Israel so utterly destroy that massive invasion force all by itself? How did all these things happen so suddenly? Why didn’t somebody see this coming and do something to prevent it?

In this study we’ll conclude our survey of the the letter from James, half brother of Jesus. The original Apostles named him overseer of the Church in Jerusalem, a position he held until his death in 62AD. James probably wrote his letter around 50 AD or even a little before. The stoning of Stephen in 36 AD had led to the persecution and scattering of the young Church, which was still primarily made up of Jewish converts. This study will focus on chapter 5, the final chapter of his instructions to the scattered Church.

This study will cover chapter four of the letter from James. You’ll see he still has plenty of good advice for living a victorious Christian life in our times, and he gives it to us in no uncertain terms. Not for the faint of heart.

In part 3 we continue reviewing the instructions James gave to the early church on how to properly live the Christian life. Remember, this letter might have been the first written teaching the Church ever received, predating the Gospels and Paul’s letters, with the possible exception of his letter to the Galatians. This time we’ll cover chapter 3. Let’s begin.

We continue our study of the letter from James. In part 1 we determined that the letter was written by James, the half brother of Jesus, around 50 AD when most of the Church was still of Jewish origin. They had been scattered throughout Israel and surrounding countries in the persecution that began after the stoning of Stephen in 36 AD, and James was sending what was probably the first letter ever written to the growing Christian community. This week we’ll look at chapter 2.

A fair amount of controversy has arisen of late over this letter, some even questioning whether it belongs in the Bible. Others say if it does, it was certainly not meant for the Church. In this series we’ll address these questions while undertaking a verse-by-verse study of the letter.

Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel; so hear the word I speak and give them warning from me. When I say to the wicked, ‘O wicked man, you will surely die,’ and you do not speak out to dissuade him from his ways, that wicked man will die for his sin, and I will hold you accountable for his blood. But if you do warn the wicked man to turn from his ways and he does not do so, he will die for his sin, but you will have saved yourself. (Ezekiel 33:7-9

“And they will go out and look upon the dead bodies of those who rebelled against me; their worm will not die, nor will their fire be quenched, and they will be loathsome to all mankind.” (Isaiah 66:24)

Q. I have separated from my husband because he has refused to seek help for his drug addiction and living with him has become too dangerous for my children and me. I am going to school to be a nurse and money is very tight for us right now. Because of this, I have started using food stamps. I do not plan on using them for very long, but I am wondering if I’m not trusting God to take care of me by doing this. I’m constantly hearing people at church put down people who are on welfare, saying we are lazy and just want a hand-out. It makes me feel so worthless sometimes. I cannot tell if I feel bad about using food stamps because God is convicting me, or if I just feel judged by the people in my church. What do you think about using food stamps?

Q. I know the penalty of sin is death but wanted to know what is unique about the generation of believers that never die since they are called up to be with Jesus while still alive? Why does that group of people “get out of” death?

Q. I know the Bible says that everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. But why does Jesus say in Matt 7:14 “Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.” Is it pertaining to faith?

Q. Luke 7: 36-50 tells of a Pharisee who invited Jesus to dinner. A woman known as a sinner came and washed his feet with her tears and hair. Jesus saw how sincere and humble she was before Him. This was before the cross but Jesus said that all of her sins were forgiven and that she was now saved. Wasn’t she still under the law until the cross?

I read your article (several times) entitled “Are We Hedging Our Bets.” Thank you for sharing what God put on your heart. It is something I needed to hear once again.

In the article, you said yes, according to Mark 10:21, in response to the question should we give everything to the poor and live hand to mouth. In the article I read, the author gives a different reason for why Jesus told the rich young ruler to sell everything. In addition, many prominent pastors also say it is not wrong to have possessions, just that they should not have us. Although, I will say that what you wrote resonates more with my heart.

Could you explain why these pastors have this interpretation of the rich young ruler why it is different than what you stated. This has been something that I’ve wondered about over the years.

Q. After reading and studying Revelation, am I to understand that Satan still has access to Heaven? It’s only during the tribulation period he is going to be ‘cast out’ of there, I thought he was booted out when he became a fallen angel? Does this mean those in Heaven can see or talk with him? Can you clear this up for me?

Q. In a recent article about the Laodiceans you said you don’t think a true believer can become lukewarm. I know I wasted many years after I was saved, doing what I wanted to do instead of growing mature in the Lord as I should have done. Yet God has pulled me back now, and I am striving to die to my old self, and fully go forward as God always intended me to do. But all those “off” years, I was lukewarm! God’s Grace brought me back to Him again. Are you saying the Prodigal Son would have gone to Hell if he never came Home ?

Q. Will it be possible when we get to heaven to see a loved one and ask them to forgive you for something you did but never apologized to them while they were with you? I know they are in heaven and I just want to put my arms around them and ask for forgiveness.

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